Frequent Questions

If DBPs are the concern, why am I getting this notice about TOC?

Your water system is notifying you that it has not achieved the required total organic carbon (TOC) removal. Public water systems subject to the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule are required to remove a specific percentage of influent (source water) TOC during treatment. TOC is used as an indicator of the natural organic matter (NOM) in water. EPA developed the Stage 1 Rule in part to reduce exposure to disinfection byproducts (DBPs) by requiring the removal of NOM to reduce the formation of DBPs.